Advances in understanding the pathogenesis of systemic anaplastic large cell lymphomas
Michela Boi, Emanuele Zucca, Giorgio Inghirami, Francesco Bertoni, Michela Boi, Emanuele Zucca, Giorgio Inghirami, Francesco Bertoni
Abstract
The currently used 2008 World Health Organization classification recognizes two types of systemic anaplastic large T cell lymphoma according to ALK protein expression in tumour cells. First, the 'anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK positive' (ALK(+) ALCL) that is characterized by the presence of ALK gene rearrangements and consequent ALK protein expression, and, second, the 'anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK negative' (ALK(-) ALCL) that is a provisional entity lacking ALK protein expression but cannot be distinguished morphologically from ALK(+) ALCL. In this review we summarize the current knowledge on the genetic lesions and biological features that underlie the pathogenesis of ALK(+) and the ALK(-) ALCL and that can lead to the use of targeted anti-cancer agents.
Keywords: Crizotinib; JAK; PRDM1; anaplastic lymphoma kinase; lymphoma.
© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Source: PubMed